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Image for Gauley Season 2020

Gauley Season 2020

American Whitewater received the following open letter to boaters from the rangers and staff of the Gauley River National Recreation Area. This letter will keep you up to date on important management actions of the National Park Service on the Gauley River for the 2020 season. It is important to note that the Tailwaters Campground will be closed due to Covid-19 and social distancing concerns. Other private campgrounds in the area may have limitations on camping, so please plan ahead.

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Image for Upper Nantahala and WF Tuck Releases Rescheduled (NC) (CORRECTION)

Upper Nantahala and WF Tuck Releases Rescheduled (NC) (CORRECTION)

This spring many dam releases had to be cancelled across the country due to Covid-19 related travel and staffing restrictions, including several releases on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee and Upper Nantahala. American Whitewater has worked with Duke Energy and other stakeholders to reschedule these releases for this fall! We rescheduled the West Fork Tuck releases for October, which is outside of the normal release window. September was a relatively busy month for releases, and October releases will be

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Campaign

American Whitewater is the primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the United States. We connect the interests of human-powered recreational river users with ecological and science-based data in order to restore and protect rivers.Join today!

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Deerfield Festival

What is Lorem Ipsum? Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and

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Image for UPDATE: CALIFORNIA SCHEDULED RECREATIONAL RELEASES

UPDATE: CALIFORNIA SCHEDULED RECREATIONAL RELEASES

UPDATE: CALIFORNIA SCHEDULED RECREATIONAL RELEASES  In California during the midst of COVID 19, American Whitewater has made a commitment to work with local counties, state & federal land management agencies and hydropower utilities to get paddlers the most up to date status of scheduled recreational flows for 2020. Here is the status of scheduled releases for NF Feather Rock Creek, Pit 5 and SF Feather Little Grass Valley. The most up to date information can also be found on our

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Image for Rattlesnake Creek Dam Removed!

Rattlesnake Creek Dam Removed!

Rattlesnake Creek starts high in its namesake Wilderness, flows for miles through scenic backcountry, and then through city parks and occasional back yards as it makes its way through one of Missoula, Montana’s quieter neighborhoods. A dam blocked the stream where it emerges from the National Forest since 1904, until this summer. In a project led by Rob Roberts at Trout Unlimited the dam has been removed and the river channel is being restored. When flows come back up in

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Image for Gore Fest 2020 Coming to Your Home on September 1

Gore Fest 2020 Coming to Your Home on September 1

Gore Fest has the decades-long tradition of hosting one of Colorado’s premiere downriver races. In the past five years it has expanded to include multiple events, bringing together kayakers, rafters, stand-up paddle boarders, families, and river enthusiasts from all over the region to celebrate a cornerstone river in the Colorado whitewater community. Unfortunately, due to concerns surrounding public safety because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have restructured the event to an online format. This decision was not an easy one

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Image for Request for Proposals – AW Produced Short Films on Basic Whitewater Safety

Request for Proposals – AW Produced Short Films on Basic Whitewater Safety

With a recent grant from the United States Coast Guard, American Whitewater is launching a project to produce two films on basic whitewater safety. We are issuing this Request for Proposals for assistance in this effort. For details and to submit a proposal please see this document – RFP American Whitewater Basic Whitewater Safety Films 2020 Proposals are due September 11, 2020

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Image for Check Out the Deerfield Fest Virtual Edition 2020 Video

Check Out the Deerfield Fest Virtual Edition 2020 Video

Northeast boaters came together to support American Whitewater at the (virtual) Deerfield Fest Membership Event on June 26th . The event celebrated 25 years of whitewater boating on the Deerfield River in Western Massachusetts and featured great music, local legends, awesome giveaways from our industry partners, and updates on our stewardship work in the region. If you missed it check out the archived event video to see all the fun!

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Image for Protect Flows at the New Fort Collins Whitewater Park (CO)

Protect Flows at the New Fort Collins Whitewater Park (CO)

Take action to protect instream flows in the Poudre! The Larimer County Commissioners are reviewing the 1041 permit for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) and accepting public comment right now. NISP will remove peak flows from the Poudre River for the next 20-30 years at the mouth of the Poudre Canyon, and disrupt invaluable ecological and recreational resources like the Poudre River Whitewater Park. In late 2019, the City of Fort Collins officially opened the Whitewater Park, and since

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Image for SUBMIT YOUR BEST PHOTOS FOR THE AW CALENDAR BY AUGUST 14TH

SUBMIT YOUR BEST PHOTOS FOR THE AW CALENDAR BY AUGUST 14TH

Submit your best photos for American Whitewater’s annual calendar! When The deadline is August 14th, 2020. How Via our online submission form. Images must be submitted as high-resolution files (suitable for printing up to 10″, at least 1MB) for inclusion in the calendar, without monetary compensation. Maximum 10 photo entries per person. Who Any and all photographers, from professionals to complete novices. Have you taken a photo before? Then you’re ready. Why First, you’ll get a free copy of the

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Image for New Watauga River Put In Open! (NC)

New Watauga River Put In Open! (NC)

Today marks the official opening of the new Guy Ford River Access Area on the Watauga River. The paddling community has long sought and can now celebrate permanent public access to the classic Watauga River Gorge which serves as a staple for Class IV+ paddlers throughout the region. American Whitewater owns and manages the Sherwood Horine Takeout thanks to donations and volunteers over many years, and worked closely with the many individuals and organizations that purchased and developed the new

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Image for Governor Inslee Directs State Agencies to Cease Chehalis Dam Efforts (WA)

Governor Inslee Directs State Agencies to Cease Chehalis Dam Efforts (WA)

This past week, Washington Governor Jay Inslee directed Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Chehalis Basin Board to cease planning efforts and environmental review of a proposed new dam on the Chehalis River and instead develop and present a basin-wide, non-dam alternative to flood damage reduction. American Whitewater appreciates the Governor’s decision that is responsive to concerns we raised throughout the environmental review process. We also appreciate the leadership role of the Quinault

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Image for New Hydropower Legislation; A Bad Deal For Rivers

New Hydropower Legislation; A Bad Deal For Rivers

The recently introduced “Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act” by Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) represents a short-sighted effort that would roll back critical river and clean water protections, cut the public out of decision-making in hydropower licensing, and put whitewater rivers at risk. Hydropower has caused immeasurable harm to our nation’s rivers over the past century. American Whitewater has worked to improve river health and enhance opportunities for the public to enjoy rivers impacted by hydropower. In cases where hydropower dams

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Image for Bear River Releases Rescheduled for Late Summer (ID)

Bear River Releases Rescheduled for Late Summer (ID)

Recreational releases were cancelled on many rivers this spring due to Covid-related travel restrictions and concerns, including several releases on the Black Canyon of the Bear River in Idaho. American Whitewater has worked with the dam owner to reschedule the Black Canyon releases for late summer, specifically August 29 & 30, and September 12 & 13. These releases offer paddlers a rare opportunity to enjoy the Bear River late in the recreation season. In addition, irrigation flows of 200-500 cfs

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Image for New River Dries to Flow Free This Fall (WV)

New River Dries to Flow Free This Fall (WV)

The owners of Hawks Nest Dam on the New River Dries is undertaking a thorough inspection of the Hawks Nest Tunnel this fall, something that has not been done since completion of the tunnel over 85 years ago. This work, slated to begin on September 8, 2020 and last for 60 days, will will require drawing down the reservoir 20+ feet and result in 2 months of natural flows in the New River Dries. Flows should be boatable non-stop during

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Image for Piney River and Tributaries Designated Scenic Rivers (TN)

Piney River and Tributaries Designated Scenic Rivers (TN)

On June 22, 2020, the Piney River, Little Piney River, and Duskin Creek, located near Spring City, became Tennessee’s newest Scenic Rivers when the Governor signed a related bill into law. These creeks flow from the Cumberland Plateau down into deep cliff-lined canyons that are traversed by hikers, paddlers, and anglers. The creeks join adjacent Soak Creek as recently designated Scenic Rivers. The gorge surrounding Piney Falls has been recognized as a National Natural Landmark for the majestic old-growth hemlock

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Image for AW Challenges New EPA Rule Weakening States' Ability to Protect Rivers

AW Challenges New EPA Rule Weakening States’ Ability to Protect Rivers

American Whitewater, along with several other river conservation partners, filed litigation today challenging new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that would limit the ability of states to protect water quality at federally-licensed hydropower and other energy projects. The new rule effectively sidelines the role the states and the public have long played in permitting decisions affecting clean water, undercutting the central role of the states in protecting rivers under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. “These new regulations are

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Image for Custer-Gallatin Plan Contains New River Protections (MT)

Custer-Gallatin Plan Contains New River Protections (MT)

Today, Montana’s Custer-Gallatin National Forest became the most recent National Forest to release their new final management plan. American Whitewater engaged with our partners in Outdoor Alliance Montana, working with local volunteer Chris Ennis, to provide detailed information to the Forest Service on the recreational values and needs. Over the several year long process we shaped a vision for the Forest that was refined and presented to the Forest Service. A central part of that vision for paddlers was a

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Image for A Victory for the San Joaquin River Gorge

A Victory for the San Joaquin River Gorge

American Whitewater efforts, funded by a Conservation Alliance grant, to protect the San Joaquin River Gorge received a big boost with news that the proposed Temperance Flat Dam is effectively dead due to its exorbitant cost. This dam proposal threatened to drown 18 miles of river including the entire San Joaquin River Gorge. Proponents of this project had to provide final costs as a condition of receiving $171 million in funds necessary to initiate the project from the Proposition One,

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Image for AW JOURNAL - THE July/August ISSUE ONLINE NOW!

AW JOURNAL – THE July/August ISSUE ONLINE NOW!

The July/August Issue of the AW Journal is available in our online “Library.” This issue includes a our Annual Report as well as:   The backstory of our Boatable Days methodology for determining recreational instream flows in Colorado and beyond The third part of a packrafting adventure story Pride Day on the river celebration Staff highlight of Northeast Stewardship Director Bob Nasdor And much more!      Current members – Read the issue now!      Not a current member – Join or Renew!

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Image for With Your Support we did great work in 2019! CHECK OUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT

With Your Support we did great work in 2019! CHECK OUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT

American Whitewater is an organization that prides ourselves on getting work done, both effectively and efficiently. Eighty percent of every dollar we see goes directly to our stewardship work, and in 2019 we succeeded in turning that work into favorable outcomes on projects across the country. For a concise and graphic look at the work we accomplished together last year, check out our 2019 Annual Report.

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Image for Pride Day on the River 2020

Pride Day on the River 2020

In June 2020, the Northeast United States celebrated Pride Day on the River – on a variety of rivers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Pride Day on the River transformed to a new form of community building. In keeping with our growing tradition, folks still got out to rivers on Saturday, June 13, 2020. But in light of the times, on this Pride Day the community joined together in spirit to think about and celebrate the lesbian,

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Image for Opportunity to Participate in Upper Gunnison Watershed Management Plan (CO)

Opportunity to Participate in Upper Gunnison Watershed Management Plan (CO)

The Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District in Gunnison, Colorado is coordinating a Watershed Management Planning effort “to help protect existing water uses and watershed health in the Upper Gunnison Basin in the face of pressure from increased water demands and permanent reductions in water supply.” The current phase is focusing on Tomichi, Cochetopa, Cebolla, Taylor, and the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa. With local stewardship staff in Crested Butte, American Whitewater has joined the Watershed Management Planning Team to help

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